Where would the Clippers be this season without Mo Williams?
Aside from maybe Eric Gordon, no one saw his place on the Clipper depth chart take a bigger hit from the Chris Paul trade than Mo. One day he we the starting point guard, the next he was the second combo guard off the bench. Denied even the courtesy of a proper introduction in the home opener.
But rather than become a distraction, he has been exactly what his team needed. He struggled with his new job description initially — particularly when stripped of the opportunity to finish games in which he was often playing very well — but remained an efficient scorer despite inconsistent minutes.
And then he returned from a foot injury on January 18 against the Mavs. Over the following 10 games, he seized his role and put to rest any fears about how he’d fit in. In his first three back, with Chris Paul on the bench, he went for 26, 25, and 26 points, each on only 15 shots. He couldn’t miss, and Instant Mo was born. The team surged to go 7-3 behind 18.4 points a game on 52% shooting from their very own 6th Man of the Year candidate.
He has made himself invaluable to the Clippers’ title hopes — think Jason Terry to the Mavs — thanks to a consistent approach and red-hot stroke over what could have been a tumultuous first half.
Overall Grade: A-
